Device for holding and contacting a radiotelephone

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an apparatus for holding and making contact with a radio telephone, having an elongate, cuboidal housing with a contact unit which is located at one housing end and has contact-making and/or connecting elements, the contact unit of the radio telephone interacting with a pivotable mating contact unit ( 29 ) of a holder ( 20 ) for the radio telephone, and it being possible for the radio telephone to be positioned and/or plugged, by way of its contact unit, on the mating contact unit ( 29 ) of the holder ( 20 ) and to be pivoted therewith through a pivot angle. Provision is made here for the holder ( 20 ) to be adapted, in particular, to the longitudinal dimension of the housing of the radio telephone.

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus according to the preambleof Patent claim 1.

[0002] Such apparatuses are used in order for a radio telephone to beretained securely and to be connected electrically to componentsinstalled in the vehicle, for examples hands-free talking facilities,displays and vehicle aerials.

[0003] Such an accommodating apparatus is known, for example, from DE197 55 621 A1. In this retaining apparatus, a mobile is plugged on plugcontacts which, on a plate, are articulated on a slide via a hinge. Inorder to accommodate the mobile in a compartment, the mobile is pivotedonto the slide, clamped in this position by a wall element and thenmoved into the compartment in the longitudinal direction of the slide.For removal of the mobile, the plate is pivoted with the mobile and themobile is drawn off from the plug contacts.

[0004] The disadvantage with the prior art is that, when the mobile isplugged on and/or drawn off, the plug contacts of the retainingapparatus can only exert a limited counterpressure since forces can onlybe dissipated to the compartment via the plate, hinge and slide.Furthermore, it is not possible for mobiles of different sizes to beretained securely by the retaining apparatus, since the retainingapparatus, which retains the mobile in a force-fitting manner, iscoordinated with a predetermined size of mobile.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichallows the insertion of radio telephones of a wide range of differentdimensions, does not yield as the radio telephone is placed in positionand removed, and, for the purposes of placing in position and removal,moves the radio telephone into an ergonomically optimal position for theuser.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention, inconjunction with the preamble of Patent claim 1, by the characterizingfeatures of Patent claim 1.

[0007] The apparatus according to the invention comprises a holder whichcan be adapted to the longitudinal dimension of the housing of the radiotelephone. This adaptation takes place by a longitudinal displacement ofthe mating contact unit to which the radio telephone is connected.Alternatively, or in addition, length adaptation is provided by alongitudinal slide mounted on the holder independently of the matingcontact unit. These possibilities for adaptation realize a holder forradio telephones which makes it possible to accommodate radio telephonesof different length dimensions without the holder having to be modifiedin any way by the exchange of components or by additional components. Asfar as the use of the holder in motor vehicles is concerned, this meansthat the holder provided can be used by any user who has a radiotelephone which has a certain contact unit. It is unimportant herewhether the various radio telephones have the same dimensions, inparticular longitudinal dimensions.

[0008] The insertion of radio telephones of different housing widthsand/or housing thicknesses is ensured in that the mating contact unit,in the region of the contact means, has elevations only in a regionwhich is located outside the conventional radio-telephone dimensions.This forms a holder with an accommodating table or accommodating regionwhich is fully independent of the housing dimensions. All that is thusrequired is for the radio telephone which is to be inserted to have anappropriate contact unit. The use of a subsequently purchased thickstorage battery which renders the radio telephone thicker on the rearside thus does not necessitate any adaptation of the holder.

[0009] An ergonomic accommodating position/discharge position with theradio telephone is achieved in that, in this position, the matingcontact unit has been pivoted through 45° to 135° in relation to themain plane of the holder. It is thus possible for the radio telephone tobe coupled to the holder by a straightforward positioning movement inwhich the user, with the hand position remaining the same, merely has tolower his/her forearm.

[0010] Moving the radio telephone from the accommodatingposition/discharge position into an operating position also takes placewith a flowing hand movement. In this case, the radio telephone istilted in the direction of the holder and moved into the holder by atilting/sliding movement. The rearward sliding movement which isnecessary at the end, by means of which the radio telephone is movedbeneath a restraining element by way of a head end, does not have to beexecuted by the user. This movement is executed by a spring which isprestressed by the rotary and sliding movement.

[0011] The force applied to the mating contact unit and/or to thecontact means when the radio telephone is plugged on is introducedoptimally into the holder since the contact means, which are configured,in particular, as connectors, are aligned perpendicularly to the axis ofrotation of the mating contact unit.

[0012] Pressure on the contact means thus does not result in any torqueabout the axis of rotation, and the compressive force is absorbed by theholder without any yielding movement being possible.

[0013] With the aid of at least one spring element, the mating contactunit is always drawn in the direction of the accommodating/dischargeposition, with the result that the contact means is always located inthe same position. The user is thus capable of coupling the radiotelephone by a routine hand movement.

[0014] A braking element which acts at least in certain regions ensuresthat the radio telephone is moved carefully in damped manner from theoperating position into the accommodating/discharge position. Saidbraking element brakes the sliding movement and/or the rotary movementof the mating contact unit.

[0015] The radio telephone is arrested in the operating position in thehead region of the holder. A restraining element, which grips over thehead region of the radio telephone, prevents the radio telephone frombeing pushed out of the operating position by the mating contact unitand/or the longitudinal slide. Also arranged in the accommodating regionof the holder are level-compensating elements which push against therear side of the radio telephone. By virtue of the interaction of thelevel-compensating elements and of the restraining element, the radiotelephone we [sic] accommodated in the head region of the holder in aplay-free manner irrespective of the housing thickness.

[0016] Furthermore, when the radio telephone is moved into the operatingposition, an ejector, which acts on the rear side and/or the head sideof the radio telephone is prestressed. This ejector causes the radiotelephone, when released by the restraining element, to be raised fromthe accommodating region of the holder by way of the head region. Theradio telephone is thus prevented in an effective manner from beingjammed in the mount by the spring force acting on the longitudinalslides and/or the contact-making unit.

[0017] Finally, it is advantageous for the contact means to be mountedin a floating manner, for example, in a plane located perpendicularly tothe contact-making direction. This measure ensures that a radiotelephone positioned with the contact unit in a slightly skewed mannerdoes not damage the mating contact unit.

[0018] Further details of the invention are described in the drawingwith reference to schematically illustrated exemplary embodiments.

[0019] In the drawing:

[0020]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a radio telephone;

[0021]FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the holder;

[0022]FIG. 3 shows a cross section through the holder along section lineIII-III illustrated in FIG. 2;

[0023]FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the holder alongsection line IV-IV illustrated in FIG. 2;

[0024]FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative mating contact unitwith two contact units of two different radio telephones;

[0025]FIG. 6 shows a section through the alternative mating contactunit, illustrated in FIG. 5, along section line VI-VI and two contactunits of two different radio telephones.

[0026]FIG. 1 shows a radio telephone 1 with the housing 2. The housing 2of the radio telephone 1 has a front side 3, a rear side 4, sidesurfaces 5, 6, a foot side 7 and a head side 8. The radio telephone 1also has a foot region 9, a central region 10 and a head region 11. Thefoot region 9 is terminated by a contact unit 12. An aerial 13 and adisplay 14 are arranged in the head region 11. The foot region and thecentral region 9, 10 have a keypad 15 on the front side 3. The radiotelephone 1 has a thickness D1 in the foot region 9, a thickness D2 inthe head region 11, and a longitudinal dimension L.

[0027]FIG. 2 illustrates a holder 20. The latter has a mount 21 whichextends beneath a cover 22 into a compartment 23. The mount 21 has acontour 24 (partially illustrated by dashed lines) which correspondsessentially to the outline of a radio telephone. A region 25 here is tobe assigned to an aerial of a radio telephone. The holder 20 issubdivided roughly into a head region 26, a central region 27 and a footregion 28. A mating contact unit 29 is arranged in the central region27, in which the mount 21 merges into the compartment 23. Said matingcontact unit is made up essentially of contact means 30 and aroller-like basic body 31. The mating contact unit 29 is mounted suchthat it can be pivoted about an axis of rotation 32. Furthermore, themating contact unit 29 can be displaced in an arrow direction x, alongguides 33 (see FIG. 4), into the compartment 23. Arranged in the headregion 26 of the holder 20 is a restraining element 34 which covers overthe mount 21 by way of a section 35 (see also FIG. 4). In the transitionfrom the head region 26 into the central region 27, level-compensatingelements 36 are arranged in the mount 21.

[0028]FIG. 3 shows a section through the holder 20, illustrated in FIG.2, along section line III-III. A guide 37 for an ejector 38 (illustratedin FIG. 4) is illustrated beneath the restraining element 34.

[0029]FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the holder 20,illustrated in FIG. 2, along section line IV-IV. Arranged beneath themount 21 is a channel 39 in which there is a spring 40, certain sectionsof which are illustrated symbolically. In the central region 27 of theholder 20, the channel 39 opens out into the mount 21. The spring 40 isconnected to the basic body 31 of the mating contact unit 29 via aflexible element 41. The mating contact unit 29 is rotated in an arrowdirection b by the restoring force of the spring 40, said force actingin arrow direction a. The rotation of the mating contact unit 29 islimited by a cam 42 which is integrally formed on the basic body 31 andstrikes against a wall 43 bounding the mount 21. The angle α throughwhich the contact means 30 and/or the mating contact unit 29 can berotated in relation to a main plane E of the holder 20 is thus fixed atapproximately 75°. The mating contact unit 29 can be rotated about theaxis of rotation 32 on a pin 44. The pin 44 can be displaced from afirst position 45 into a second position 46 in arrow direction x, alongthe guides 33.

[0030] In FIG. 4, the mating contact unit 29 is located in anaccommodating and/or discharge position 47 for the radio telephone 1. Inthis accommodating position 47, the radio telephone 1 is plugged on themating contact unit 29 in arrow direction c. In this case, the radiotelephone 1 is guided, and pushed onto, the contact means 30 by way ofthe contact unit 12. During the pushing-on operation, the radiotelephone 1 acts on the mating contact unit 29 by a force F. The force Fintroduced is transmitted from said mating contact unit 29 to the holder20 via the pin 44. The holder 20 is supported, in turn, on a bracket(not illustrated). Since the force F acts perpendicularly on the axis ofrotation 32 no torque which causes the mating contact unit 29 to rotateabout the axis of rotation 32 is produced. The mating contact unit 29 isprevented from sliding away in the guides 33 in that a brake 48 isdesigned such that first of all a rotary movement of the mating contactunit 29 has to take place. The brake 48 has a gearwheel 49, which can berotated about a pin 50. The rotatability of the gearwheel 49 is madeslightly more difficult. Arranged on the cam 42 of the mating contactunit 29 is a toothing formation (not illustrated) on which the gearwheel49 rolls during rotation of the mating contact unit 29.

[0031] From the accommodating position 47, in which the radio telephone1 is plugged on the mating contact unit 29, the mating contact unit 29,together with the radio telephone 1, is pivoted in arrow direction d.This rotary movement is followed by a rotary/sliding movement at thelatest when the radio telephone 1 butts against the section 35 of therestraining element 34 by way of its rear side 4. It is also possiblefor this combined rotary/sliding movement to commence, at the earliest,when the rotary movement produces, between the front side 3 of the radiotelephone 1 and an edge 51 of the cover 22, a spacing which allowsdisplacement of the radio telephone 1 in arrow direction x. The extentto which a sliding movement in the direction of the arrow x is necessarydepends on the longitudinal dimension L of the radio telephone 1. Theholder 20 illustrated in FIG. 4 is suitable for accommodating a radiotelephone 1 which has at least one length dimension L corresponding to aspacing h between the basic body 31 and a wall 52 of the mount 21. Byvirtue of the mating contact unit 29 being displaced in the guides 33 inthe arrow direction x, it is possible to accommodate a radio telephone 1with a length dimension L which is somewhat smaller than the sum of thespacings h and i. In this case, i is the extent of the maximumdisplacement path of the mating contact unit 29 in arrow direction x.The rotary/sliding movement of the radio telephone 1 and of the matingcontact unit 29 is continued until the radio telephone 1 comes to restapproximately parallel to the main plane E. This is followed by arearward sliding movement of the radio telephone 1 and of the matingcontact unit 29 in arrow direction a. This rearward sliding movement isexecuted by the spring 40, which has been stressed by the rotary/slidingoperation. By virtue of this rearward sliding movement, the radiotelephone 1 grips behind the restraining element 34 by way of its headregion 11 and has reached an operating position. In this operatingposition, the radio telephone 1 is accommodated to the full extent bythe mount 21 and is retained in a play-free manner between therestraining element 34 and the level-compensating element 36. Thelevel-compensating element 36 comprises an elastic cap 52 whichaccommodates a spring 53. The level-compensating element 36 compensatesfor radio telephones 1 of different thicknesses D2. Furthermore, therearward sliding movement prestresses a leafspring 54 to which theejector 38 is connected.

[0032] A movement of the radio telephone 1 from said operating positioninto the discharge position 47 can be initiated by the restrainingelement 34, which is prestressed in arrow direction x by the springmechanism 55, being slid in the rearward direction. The ejector 38 andthe prestress spring 40 cause the radio telephone 1 and the matingcontact unit 29 to be rotated in arrow direction b. As soon as the headregion 11 of the radio telephone 1 is located above the restrainingelement 34, this rotation is superimposed by a sliding movement in arrowdirection a, as long as the mating contact unit 29 is not still locatedin position 45. During the final rotary movement of the radio telephone1 and of the mating contact unit 29, the brake 48 is active and allowsthe discharge position 47 to be approached smoothly. In the dischargeposition 47, it is possible for the radio telephone 1 to be removed fromthe mating contact unit 29 or for the radio telephone 1 to be moved intothe operating position again.

[0033]FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative mating contact unit29′. Contact units 12′, 12″ of radio telephones 1′, 1″ are illustratedschematically above the mating contact unit 29′. The mating contact unit29′ has a basic body 31′, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation32′. The basic body 31′ has a flattened portion 56 on which contactmeans 30′ are arranged. The contact means 30′ are connected, via aribbon cable 57 running in part in the basic body 31′, to components(not illustrated) such as, for example, a microphone, loudspeaker andaerial. A variant which is not illustrated also provides for connectionvia a coaxial cable. The flattened portion 56 has a width C which makesit possible for radio telephones 1′, 1″ of different widths C′, C″ to bepositioned on the contact means 30′, the contact units 12′, 12″ of theradio telephones 1′, 1″ gripping around, and accommodating, the contactmeans 30′ of the mating contact unit 29′.

[0034]FIG. 6 shows a section through the mating contact unit 29′ alongthe section line VI-VI illustrated in FIG. 5. The section clearly showsthat the mating contact unit 29′ has a cam 42′, which serves forlimiting the rotation of the mating contact unit 29′ (see description inrelation to FIG. 4). The flattened portion 56 of the mating contact unit29′ has a thickness D which allows contact to be made with radiotelephones 1′, 1″ with foot regions 9′, 9″ of different thicknesses D1′,D1″.

[0035] The invention, rather than being restricted to exemplaryembodiments illustrated or described, also covers developments of theinvention within the scope of the claims. The invention also makesprovision, in particular, for connections between the contact unit ofthe radio telephone and the mating contact unit which are purelymechanical, provision being made here for form-fitting and/orforce-fitting connections in particular. A force-fitting connection maybe realized, for example, by magnets.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0036]1, 1′, 1″ Radio telephone

[0037]2 Housing

[0038]3 Front side

[0039]4 Rear side

[0040]5, 6 Side surface

[0041]7 Foot side

[0042]8 Head side

[0043]9, 9′, 9″Foot region

[0044]10 Central region

[0045]11 Head region

[0046]12, 12′, 12″ Contact unit

[0047]13 Aerial

[0048]14 Display

[0049]15 Keypad

[0050]20 Holder

[0051]21 Mount

[0052]22 Cover

[0053]23 Compartment

[0054]24 Contour

[0055]25 Region

[0056]26 Head region

[0057]27 Central region

[0058]28 Foot region

[0059]29, 29′ Mating contact unit

[0060]30, 30′ Contact means

[0061]31, 31′ Basic body

[0062]32, 32′ Axis of rotation

[0063]33 Guide

[0064]34 Restoring element

[0065]35 Section

[0066]36 Level-compensating

[0067] element

[0068]37 Guide

[0069]38 Ejector

[0070]39 Channel

[0071]40 Spring

[0072]41 Element

[0073]42, 42′ Cam

[0074]43 Wall

[0075]44 Pin

[0076]45 Position

[0077]46 Position

[0078]47 Accommodating/discharge

[0079] position

[0080]48 Brake

[0081]49 Gearwheel

[0082]50 Pin

[0083]51 Edge

[0084]52 Cap

[0085]53 Spring

[0086]54 Leafspring

[0087]55 Spring mechanism

[0088]56 Flattened portion

[0089]57 Ribbon cable

1. Apparatus for holding and making contact with a radio telephone,having an elongate, cuboidal housing with a contact unit which islocated at one housing end and has contact-making and/or connectingelements, the contact unit of the radio telephone interacting with apivotable mating contact unit of a holder for the radio telephone, andit being possible for the radio telephone to be positioned and/orplugged, by way of its contact unit, on the mating contact unit of theholder and to be pivoted therewith through a pivot angle, characterizedin that the holder (20) is adapted to the longitudinal dimension (L) ofthe housing of the radio telephone (1, 1′, 1″) by means of alongitudinal displacement, within the holder (20), of the mating contactunit (29, 29′) and/or of a longitudinal slide mounted within the holder(20).
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that themating contact unit (29, 29′), in the region of the contact means (30,30′), has space for radio telephones (1, 1′, 1Δ) of different housingwidths (C′, CΔ) and/or housing thicknesses (D1, D1′, D2Δ).
 3. Apparatusaccording to one of the preceding claims, [lacuna] that, in anaccommodating/discharge position (47) for the radio telephone (1, 1′,1Δ), the mating contact unit (29, 29′) is located in a state in which ithas been pivoted, by way of a contact means (30, 30′), approximately 45°to 135° in relation to the main plane (E) of the holder (20). 4.Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized inthat the radio telephone (1, 1′, 1Δ) can be moved into an operatingposition from the accommodating position (47) via a rotary movement, asubsequent rotary/sliding movement and a final rearward sliding movementin the holder (20).
 5. Apparatus according to one of the precedingclaims, characterized in that the mating contact unit (29, 29′)essentially comprises a basic body (31, 31′) which bears contact means(30, 30′) aligned perpendicularly to its axis of rotation (32, 32′). 6.Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized inthat the mating contact unit (29, 29′) is kept in the accommodatingand/or discharge position (47) by a spring (40), the spring (40)counteracting the rotary movement and the sliding movement of the matingcontact unit (29, 29′).
 7. Apparatus according to one of the precedingclaims, characterized in that the movement of the mating contact unit(29, 29′) is damped at least in certain regions by a brake (48). 8.Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized inthat, in the operating position, a restraining element (34) engages overthe housing end (8) of the radio telephone (1, 1′, 1Δ), said housing endbeing located opposite the contact unit (12, 12′, 12Δ).
 9. Apparatusaccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in theoperating position, the radio telephone (1, 1′, 1Δ) has at least onelevel-compensating element (36) acting on a rear side (4).
 10. Apparatusaccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in theoperating position, the radio telephone (1, 1′, 1Δ) keeps an ejector(38) in a prestressed position.
 11. Apparatus according to one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the contact means (30, 30′) ofthe mating contact unit (29, 29′) are mounted in a floating mannerpreferably at least in a plane located parallel to a flattened portion(5) [sic] of the mating contact unit (29, 29′).
 12. Apparatus accordingto one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, following releaseof the restraining element (34), the spring element (40) causes theradio telephone (1, 1′, 1Δ) to be displaced from the operating positioninto the accommodating/discharge position (47).